Publications by authors named "Lori Dickerson"

Background And Objectives: Clinical pharmacists are valued educators and practitioners within family medicine residency programs (FMRPs). Since the last survey of clinical pharmacists within FMRPs, there have been significant advancements to pharmacy education and training as well as growth of interprofessional education and collaborative practice within family medicine. The objective of this study is to describe the integration of clinical pharmacists within FMRPs.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background And Objectives: The US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends screening adults for alcohol misuse, a challenge among young adults who may not have regular primary care. The pre-participation evaluation (PPE) provides an opportunity for screening, but traditional screening tools require extra time in an already busy visit. The objective of this study was to compare the 10-item Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) with a single-question alcohol misuse screen in a population of college-aged athletes.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background And Objectives: The clinical pharmacist's role within family medicine residency programs (FMRPs) is well established. However, there is limited information regarding perceptions of program directors (PDs) about clinical pharmacy educators. The study objectives were (1) to estimate the prevalence of clinical pharmacists within FMRPs and (2) to determine barriers and motivations for incorporation of clinical pharmacists as educators.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objectives: The cost of hospitalizations contributes to the rising expense of medical care in the United States. Providing health insurance to uninsured Americans is a strategy to reduce these costs, but only if costs for uninsured patients are disproportionately high. This study examined hospitalization use patterns for uninsured patients compared with those with Medicaid and commercial insurance.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objectives: Aspirin is recommended for cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention in patients who are at high risk for CVD. The objective of this study was to compare agreement between two American Diabetes Association-endorsed CVD risk calculators in identifying candidates for aspirin therapy.

Methods: Adult patients with diabetes mellitus (n = 238) were studied for 1 year in a family medicine clinic.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Quality improvement (QI) is an integral aspect of graduate medical education and an important competence for physicians.

Objective: We examined the QI activities of recent family medicine residency graduates and whether a standardized curriculum in QI during residency resulted in greater self-reported participation in QI activities in practice after graduation.

Methods: The family medicine residency programs affiliated with the South Carolina Area Health Education Consortium (N  =  7) were invited to participate in this study.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Resident duty hour limits, new requirements for supervision, and an enhanced focus on patient safety have shown mixed effects on resident quality of life, patient safety, and resident competency. Few studies have assessed how recent graduates feel these changes have affected their education.

Objective: We assessed recent graduates' perceptions about the effects of duty hour and supervision requirements on their education.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background And Objectives: Although intrauterine devices (IUDs) and subdermal implants (SDI) are recommended as first-line contraception for the majority of women by the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, these methods of long-acting reversible contraception (LARC) are underutilized. Some concerns regarding their use include cost of placement, side effects, and perception of frequent early removal. This study evaluated satisfaction with LARC, frequency, and reasons behind early removal in a family medicine setting.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

This article describes the behavioral science curriculum currently in place at the Trident/MUSC Family Medicine Residency Program. The Trident/MUSC Program is a 10-10-10 community-based, university-affiliated program in Charleston, South Carolina. Over the years, the Trident/MUSC residency program has graduated over 400 Family Medicine physicians.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Scholarly activity as a component of residency education is becoming increasingly emphasized by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. "Limited or no evidence of resident or faculty scholarly activity" is a common citation given to family medicine residency programs by the Review Committee for Family Medicine.

Objective: The objective was to provide a model scholarly activity curriculum that has been successful in improving the quality of graduate medical education in a family medicine residency program, as evidenced by a record of resident academic presentations and publications.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background And Objectives: In July of 2003, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) adopted requirements limiting the duty hours of resident physicians. The impact of these restrictions on education and patient care activities is not clear. The purpose of this study is to examine the perception of graduates of family medicine residency programs immediately prior to and following implementation of duty hours regarding preparedness to practice and board certification status, as well as current patient care activities.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background And Objectives: Intrauterine devices (IUDs) are recommended as first-line choices for both nulliparous and parous adolescents by the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG). This study describes use of IUDs and knowledge regarding IUD use in adolescents in South Carolina family medicine residency programs.

Methods: Faculty and residents in South Carolina Area Health Education Consortium (SC AHEC) Family Medicine Residency Programs received an anonymous survey including questions about current use of IUDs and scenarios where they were asked whether they would recommend an IUD.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Several organizations emphasize that medical education should include how to improve patient outcomes effectively using quality improvement (QI) methods. In spite of the importance of teaching QI principles, limited literature exists on the implementation and evaluation of these in residency programs.

Methods: The Clinical Scholars Program was established in 1996 to provide residents an opportunity to participate in a scholarly activity.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Study Objective: To assess diabetes care in a network of primary care practices that include pharmacist support by using a scoring system designed for the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) Diabetes Recognition Program (DRP) measures.

Design: Retrospective medical record review.

Data Source: Subset of the National Interdisciplinary Primary Care Practice-Based Research Network (NIPC-PBRN).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Dizziness accounts for an estimated 5 percent of primary care clinic visits. The patient history can generally classify dizziness into one of four categories: vertigo, disequilibrium, presyncope, or lightheadedness. The main causes of vertigo are benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, Meniere disease, vestibular neuritis, and labyrinthitis.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background And Objectives: Literature on integration and assessment of a research curriculum into family medicine residency training programs is limited. The objectives of this paper are to describe the development, implementation, and evaluation of a state-wide resident scholarship symposium.

Methods: In 2003, the South Carolina Area Health Education Consortium (SC AHEC) and residency program directors developed an annual resident scholarship symposium.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Unlabelled: Guidelines have been published for management of chronic systolic heart failure to reduce patient morbidity and mortality.

Objective: A quality review of the heart failure medical therapy for a community family medicine residency program clinic and a multidisciplinary heart failure specialty clinic was performed to compare adherence to ACC/AHA heart failure guidelines, with regard to medications and in titrating to recommended target doses.

Methods: The study was a retrospective chart review and data collected included name and dose of any ACEI, beta-blocker, ARB, or other medication addressed in the guidelines.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The long-term safety of many antiobesity pharmacologic regimens has not been adequately evaluated. If recommended and prescribed, pharmacologic agents should be an adjunct to a structured diet and exercise regimen. Unfortunately, weight gain after discontinuation of antiobesity agents is common.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background And Objectives: Clinical practice guidelines are useful as tools to reduce variation and improve clinical outcomes in performance-improvement initiatives. The aim of this study is to examine, in a family medicine residency practice, the effect of incorporating education about clinical practice guidelines for specific medical conditions and services on specific quality of care indicators.

Methods: An educational intervention regarding the implementation of clinical practice guidelines and the use of quality indicators for selected disease states or medical services was developed and implemented into a family medicine residency program.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Five new oral contraceptives, classified as extended- or continuous-cycle oral contraceptives, have been approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration. These agents have various combinations of estrogen and progestin, and different effects on the length of women's menstrual cycles. Usually they shorten the duration of menses, decrease the frequency of menses to 4 times/year, or completely eliminate menses.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Off-label prescription of approved drugs is common and often necessary in pediatric practice. Off-label prescription of approved drugs does not constitute malpractice and is not considered experimental therapy. Pediatric providers should endeavor to become familiar with commonly prescribed off-label drugs and strive to limit their prescribing to the drugs with existing pediatric experience.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Purpose: Many patients in primary care require anticoagulation with warfarin for the prevention of venous and systemic embolism. Achieving the goal international normalized ratio (INR) with warfarin is challenging. The purpose of this quality improvement initiative was to increase the proportion of patients taking warfarin with an INR value within the goal range.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Introduction: Specific patient care measures and cost of hospitalization are being studied as health care providers and payers are seeking methods to improve the hospital care of patients. This study's purpose was to examine the length of stay and cost of inpatient care by a family medicine teaching service in comparison with the hospitalists' and community physicians' services in the same community hospital.

Methods: We analyzed inpatient admissions to either a family medicine teaching service (FMTS), hospitalist physician group, or the patient's own primary care community physician in a 290-bed, for-profit, community hospital over a 12-month period.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Purpose: The results of a survey conducted to characterize participating practice sites, patient populations, and collaborative physician-pharmacist services provided through an emerging practice-based research network (PBRN) in the primary care setting are presented.

Methods: A targeted sample of faculty pharmacist investigators practicing in primary care settings were selected for participation in this PBRN based on several factors, including past research activities, their interest in soliciting additional clinics within their state to participate in a research network, the potential for regional collaboration, geographic location, and the patient population served. A baseline survey to characterize the PBRN was distributed to members of the PBRN in June 2006.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF